JPS628373B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cassette that is inserted into an automatic paper feeder of a copying machine.

The above-mentioned cassette stores the paper on the bottom plate provided in the cassette, and forces the bottom plate upward so that the top surface of the paper comes into contact with the feed roll so that the papers on the bottom plate are fed one by one from above. It's summery.

The present invention provides a torsion spring which is arranged between the bottom plate and the bottom of the cassette, and has one end engaged with the bottom plate and the other end slidably abutting against the upper surface of the support plate fixed to the bottom of the cassette. and by making it possible to change the height of the upper surface of the support plate relative to the bottom surface of the cassette, the structure for biasing the bottom plate upward with a spring can be made simple and compact, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette for a copying machine in which the spring force can be adjusted and the cassette can respond to changes in the weight of paper.

The configuration will be explained below based on the embodiment shown in the drawings.

In the figure, 1 is an automatic paper feeder of a copying machine, 2 is a cassette inserted into this automatic paper feeder 1, 3 is a bottom plate rotatably provided in this cassette 2, and this bottom plate 3 is a torsion. It is biased upward by a spring 4. This torsion spring 4 is the third
As shown in the figure, the middle part is formed into a loop shape and both ends are formed into a hook shape, and these both ends are engaged with grooves 5, 5 punched in the bottom plate 3, and the middle part is formed into the bottom surface of the cassette 2. It is slidably abutted on the upper surface of the attached support plate 6. The height of the upper surface of the support plate 6 can be changed with respect to the bottom surface of the cassette 2.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the support plate 6.
A hole 7 is provided at the bottom of the cassette 2.
Stepped members 8 and 9 are protruded from opposite ends of the holder. Note that the stepped members 8 and 9 may be formed integrally with the cassette 2 instead of being separate members from the cassette 2 as shown. A supporting plate 6 similarly formed in a stepped shape is fixed between the stepped members 8 and 9. The height of the torsion spring abutting surface of the support plate 6 can be changed by changing the mounting position of the support plate 6 with respect to the stepped members 8 and 9 as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C. There is. Note that 10 is a snubber and 11 is a feed roll.

The bottom plate 3 is biased upward by the torsion spring 4, and the upper surface of the paper placed on the bottom plate 3 comes into contact with the feed roll 11. When the bottom plate 3 moves downward, the portion of the torsion spring 4 that contacts the support plate 6 is moved to one side. Furthermore, by changing the height of the torsion spring abutting surface of the support plate 6, the biasing force exerted by the torsion spring 4 can be changed and adapted to the weight of the paper.
The height of the support plate 6 is highest in FIG. 6A, and decreases as it goes to FIGS. B and C. That is, in the state shown in FIG.
The state shown in FIG. 6B is lower by a than the above state, and the state shown in FIG. 6C is lower by b, which is greater than a.

The present invention is as described above, and the bottom plate 3 is rotatably provided in the cassette 2. Paper is placed on the bottom plate 3, and by moving it upward, the top surface of the paper comes into contact with the feed roll 11. In the copying machine cassette, grooves 5, 5 are provided between the bottom plate 3 and the bottom of the cassette 2, one end of which is punched into the bottom plate 3.
A torsion spring 4 is interposed which is slidably abutted on the upper surface of a support plate 6 whose other end is fixed to the bottom of the cassette 2. Since the cassette of the copying machine is configured by fixing to the bottom of the cassette 2 with the height changeable, the structure for biasing the bottom plate 3 upward with a spring can be made simple and compact. The spring force can be adjusted to accommodate changes in paper weight.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a cassette, FIG. 2 is a plan view, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a torsion spring, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line ``-'' of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6A,
B and C are cross-sectional views showing an embodiment of a support plate that receives a torsion spring and its function. 2 is a cassette, 3 is a bottom plate, 4 is a torsion spring, 5 is a groove, 6 is a support plate, and 11 is a feed roll.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotatable bottom plate 3 is provided in the cassette 2, and paper is placed on the bottom plate 3, and by moving it upward, the top surface of the paper comes into contact with the feed roll 11. In the copying machine cassette, a support plate 6 is provided between the bottom plate 3 and the bottom of the cassette 2, one end of which engages with grooves 5, 5 punched in the bottom plate 3, and the other end fixed to the bottom of the cassette 2. A torsion spring 4 is interposed in slidable contact with the upper surface, and the support plate 6 is fixed to the bottom of the cassette 2 so that the height of the torsion spring contact surface can be changed freely. A copying machine cassette featuring: